Black Thunder

The words “period correct” tend to annoy the hell out of me. However, it’s true that most bikes I like tend to fall into this category. For example, this black shovel that Dan, from Triple Six Crew Death Co., just finished fits that bill. It has a few new tricks and one or two stickers that were not around 35 years ago, but for the most part this is a classic garage built chop. One of the things I love about this bike is that I have seen this motor in a few bikes already. Lean, mean, and like its owner says “uncomfortable” - like a proper chopper should be.

When Dan is not busy running his raunchy and popular t-shirt line he can usually be found building something or tearing into a tranny on his or a bro’s bike. It’s this DIY attitude of guys in their 20s and 30s riding vintage style chops that breathe life into today’s chopper renaissance. There is nothing hipster about it when you’re building bikes from scratch out of vintage parts that need to be repaired, rebuilt, or machined before even being usable. There really are folks out there doing more than posing and I count Dan and friends among them. Sharing garage space with Dan has shown me his dedication to being more than just another dude slinging t-shirts that doesn’t know a super E from a super B. Building bikes in unheated, 100 year old buildings in the Ohio winter takes dedication that fair weather dwellers don’t really understand.

If you’re a lurker you should know that this bike was built on a budget with friends and basic shop tools. Being part of this “culture” is about more than looking cool. You have to get out there, build, and ride. The looking cool part will come naturally once you have grease under your nails, many miles, and a few bikes under your belt like this cat.